Chair construction



March 17., 1931; v M, TI VANDERVOQRT 1,797,201

CHAIR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 23. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l l ,25/ 1N VEA/TOR March 117, 1931. M. T.- vANDr-:RvooRT v CHAIR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 23 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 Mig BY f ATTORNEY I Patented yMiar. y17, 1.931- i UNITED siim*es PATENT vgerrie.e

MILFORD 'r'. VANDERVOORT, oreitnivn marins;.MmHIGAmfAssrGNonTo Arenen-:AN SEATING .c2o1\irrA1\rY-,Y or enema' series; MICHIGAN, n oonromi'rioiv or yNrw i JERSEY CHAIR consTRUCTIoN Appneation inea Api-n as, 1928. 'seriai No. 2752.070. y

` -This inventn'relatee te' chair seat ,een-y stretion, partienlerly fertheatres Aand the lik..

f The main objects of this invention are to;

provide an improved construction which vvill con'i'pensate for slight variations in position; ing of the chair' end standards; to provideV a provide a construction, Which Will permit Yva'- riationsin 'the distance vbetween standards so that'diter'ent rovvsof seats, each havingthe same vnumber 0f .cl'1ars, may bei spaced to occupyincreasingly Wider floor spaces formed by converging aisles; to provide a construction in which the seat members may be readily removedy for repair or replacement 5 to pro-V vide a construction in :which greater clearance s'seeured bet'Weentlie, lovver edge of theseat when in raised positionvth'an has Vlieietorek been the case; and .to provide an improved pivotal kbinge f .or the seat members which will permit limited universal movement andv free pivotal movement under variable conditions.

, An illustrative embodiment of thisinvention is shown in the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is atop plan' view offene vseat and a fragmentary portion of another, supported by means ofv my` improved mounting, a changed poeition being shown in dottedoutline;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view ini perspective of that party of the chair end supu porting standard-atvvhiCh the seat mounting is attached; .f l

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view yin face elevation of one member of the pivot hinge; Y Y e Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View in perspeetive of the other meinber of the pivot hingg; n v .f' Fig. 5 is an enlarged View' in 'perspective of the two pivot hinge membersV inassembled relationship; l

Fig. `6 isa see-tional view taken on the line d-eoflige;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in perspective of the mounting' `clip vvliiehy is chair supporting standard; s `Fign is a view in front elevation offese'-v ries of theatre seats equipped vvithmy mproved seat minintings;Y s

flifig. 94is aI sectional view taken on the line 9e@ @fries Heretefere'in the installingef theatre seats( and thelike', they positioning ofthefseat standards required ka great amontvof carefland ysecureni to the` l partioularity. Unev'ennessi` in the lio'orpvvofuld A often causethe pivotalsefat hinge joint to bind when ,the seat was raised. With construe-` tions heretofore vused ithas' also been impos,

sible vte vary-the distancesbetween seat supporting standards so that in placing seats in spaces formed by converging aisles, tl`1e' outside seats could allel to the aisle. s l

Another` difficulty that i has been en- Coiintered'is in thev removing cfa chair seat forrepairoi' re lancement.y This has been `especially diiiicu t n accouiitof the inter# fitting and interleeling seathi'nge joints. e

All of the hereteferementiened ebjectiens to the constructions `at present lin ilse, fnd

many other unsatisfactory features not ennmerated, have been overcome my present invention. l l l l* s s In tliepconstr'ilction shown in the drawings,

not be arranged in aline pari a vchair seat supporting end standrd yl andl middle standard@` are eachv shown vvit'hftlie inner faces thereofv provided With avertcally disposed semi-.cylindrical recess" 3 pen-at its `upper end and closed'atits llvver end by a flange 2, the standard is provided'v'i'fitli an integrally ormedprojectin boss' located closely adja-A cent the lower en A ofthe recess', forsupponting the front end of a*inouiting` clip@ (F ig. 7), the rear end of which is preyided with a liole through yvvliiycli a boltS is 'placedto secure the 'clipjtoj the' standard 2. `The extreme rear end ofthe clip 6 is provided With'a leg .9 protruding from the innervface thereof which restso'n' the chair standard and 'att the 'same time ahnte against a projecting integrally formedboss 1Q en the standard 2. 1 I v'lheiforvvard endgof theciip 6. is also' pro; videdwith a vertically disposed semi-cylin- As shown partienlarly in jFig. 1

drical recess 11Y for cooperating with the recess 3 to form a cylindrical socket or bracket bearing having a vertical aXis. Immediately back of the recess 11, the inner face of the clip 6 is provided with protruding legs 12 and 13 located. at the top and bottom respec-` tively ofthe clip, the lower leg/13 being positioned to rest upon the boss 5 of the standard 2, for preventing the clip from rotating out of registry when the bolt 8 is loosened. l

i' The clips for both the supporting' standards -1 and 2 are of the same construction` exceptfthat they are made in rights and lefts foruse on the right and left sides of the seats. f

The seat supporting-brackets are also of identical construction except that they are in rights and lefts, so a description'of one only will be given. Y Y

Referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, a seatsupporting bracket 14 Y ing movement relative to its supporting standard. The other end of the bracket 14 is :in the formof a flat annular head 16 and the inner face of the head is provided with a shallow crescent shaped recess 17 for receiving a steel ball 18, which is carried in a semi-cylindrical socket 19 formed on the innenface of a seat bracket head 2O.V The inner faces of the heads 16 and 2O are provided at the center thereof with semi-spherical recesses for embracinga steel pivot ball 21.

The outer circumferential wall of the recess 17 is drawn in on a shorter radius at each end of the recess so as to bind the` ball 18 after a certain amount of relative pivotal movement between the heads 16 and 20, to secure a noiseless seat hinge in much the same manner as is secured by the construction shown in the Cogger Patent No. 683,439, issued Oct. 1, 1901 to The American School Furniture Company, predecessors of niy'as?vr signee herein. A y

The bracket head 20 carries an arm 22 having a flange 23 which is attachedV to the under side of a seat 24 along the side marginal edges thereof. I

. Means are provided for holding the heads 16'and 20 in assembled relationship and to freely permit relativel pivotal movement therebetween when the heads are not in parallel planes. Such means comprise an angle clip 25 secured to the head 16 by-a bolt 2G which passes through an arc shaped slot 27 formedin the head 20. The relatively short transverse arm 28 of the angle clip has its end'embraced in asocketforined in .the adja-V cent face ofthe head 16. The inain'arm of the clip has aconcave face on'rthe inner side at the end thereof which slidably bears against a semi-spherical boss 29 formed on the outer face of the head 20. The curvature of the boss 29 is formed by a radius whose center point is the center of the pivot ball 21. The ball 21 normally holds the heads 16 and 2O in spaced relationship when the heads are in parallel planes, thus permitting a limited universal or rocking movement therebetween. r Y Y Y.

In the operation and use of this construction, the chair supporting standards! 1' and 2 are positioned and secured vto the floor, either in a straight line as shown or on an arc as is usual in'tlieat-r'es and the like.

The nuts onfthe bolts 8 being loosened so as not tobindthe clips 6, the seats'24 hav ing the Vbracketarms 14 assembled thereon, are then assembledto the standards by merely slipping the trunnions 15 into the cylindrical socket'sformed by the surfaces 3 and' 11 inmuch the saine manner ythat bed rails are assembled to the head and foot frames.

The limited rocking yor 'universal Inovement of the bracket armfat its -point of pivotal connection to the seat member, permits the outer trunnion ends of thebracket arms 14 to be shifted horizontally to compensate for variations in the spacing of the standards and for variations due to an uneven floor.

When the lower ends of the trunnions 15 rest upon the flanges 4, Vthe seat is in place and the nutsV on theb'olts 8 are then drawn Vup snugly, causing Vthe clip 6 to tightly grip the trunnions-15 of thebracket arms 14. A

The seat 24 may be raised or lowered freely on its pivotal hinge and as it approaches its` upper or lower limit, the ball 18 binds against the inwardlyy drawn cam surfaces of the recess 17, so as tostop and limit the p -ivotal' movement without vabruptness -or noise.

vIn case it is desired to repair or replace a seat, the Vnuts on the `bolts 8 are loosened. rlhe fianges 4 prevent the trunnions 15 from passing on out through the bottoniof the cylindrical slots. The seat 24 is then grasped by both hands and lifted upwardly until the trunnions are free from their sockets.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been: herein shown and de scribed, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omittedwithout departing from the spirit of this invention as defined bythe following claims.V

I claim:

1. In a device of they class described the combination of side frames, clips secured to said side frames, said clips and frames'bein'g formed Yto provide sockets, interengaging parts on said clips kand frames-to maintain said clips in an operative relation vwith respectto theirrespective frames when loosely secured thereto, bracket arms having trun-k nionson one `endthereof adapted to fit in said i f sockets so as to permit limited horizontal said trunnions permitting the arms to swing horizontally, and universal joints connecting the front ends of the arms with the seat at the sides thereof and permitting the latter to raise and lower and also toswing horizontally in adjusting the seat. Y

3. A seat structure comprising a pair 'of side frames provided with vertical bearing sockets open at the top and closed at the bottoma seat,approximately 'horizontal bracket arms extending along the side edges of the seaty at the rearv portion thereof and having.

vertical trunnions arranged in said sockets and inserted through the `open tops thereof,

said trunnions permitting the arms to swing horizontally, said sockets having means for laterally clamping the trunnions of the arms kin the sockets, and universal joints connecting the front ends of the arms with the seats at the sides thereof and permitting the seat to raise and lower and also to swing horizontally in adj usting'the seat.

4. A seat structure comprising a pair of side frames provided with vertical bearing sockets open at the top and closed at the bottom, a seat, approximately horizontal bracket with ball sockets and curved ball races concentric with the sockets, and the said seaty having in its sides ball sockets and ball races registering with the sockets and races of the bracket arms, balls in the registering sockets, and balls in the registering races, said balls permitting the seat toraise and'lower and to swingl horizontally in adjusting the seat. l

p In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Grand `Rapids, Michigan, this 18th day of April, 1928. Y K

" MILFORDTQVANDERVOORT.

arms extending along the side edges of the seat at the rear portion thereof andhaving vertical `trunnions arranged in said sockets I and inserted through the open tops thereof,v said trunnions permitting the arms to swing horizontally, said sockets having clip plates and clamping bolts to clamp the trunnions ylaterally in the said sockets, interengaging means on the clip plates and the side frames for holding thel clip plates against rotary movement, and universal joints connecting the frontfends of the arms with the seats at the side edges thereof and permitting the seats to Araise and lower and alsoto swing horizontally in adjusting the seats.I v

5..A seat structure comprising a pair of side frames provided with vertical bearing sockets open at the top and closed at the bottom, a seat, approximately horizontal bracket arms extending along the side edges of the seat at the rear portion thereof and having vertical trunnions arranged in said socketsV and inserted through the open tops thereof,

said trunnions permitting' the arms to swing horizontally, said bracket arms `being provided at the inner faces of ltheir front ends 

